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Just as spring turned to summer, I cracked a bottle of Gigondas to drink with the first grilled burgers of the season. I wasn’t consciously considering the pairing, although perhaps “big food, big red” guided me at a subliminal level to match southern Rhône with smoky, juicy meat. The result: an explosive synergy of tannins and fat, like Fourth of July fireworks over the Hudson River.

Heavier summer favorites like baby back ribs and steaks on the grill call for a full-bodied wine, so reds are the usual choice. But the key here is body, so a big white like an oaky, buttery California Chardonnay might be a better match with pork than a daintier red like Schiava. The same rule applies to lighter foods. Generally, fish is complemented by delicate wines, so plenty of whites fit the profile, but so can light-bodied, low-tannin reds, thereby debunking the myth “white with fish, red with meat.” Also consider your sauce: lobster smothered in cream is no longer delicate (nor low-fat.)

Example: Cedar Plank-Smoked Salmon and Oregon Pinot Noir

Spanish jamon works with both white and red wine.Lauren Mowery

Marry Flavor to Flavor

Flavor intensity is not the same as weight. A potato is heavy but low on flavor, whereas asparagus is pungent but not hefty. Chardonnay can be full-bodied but low in flavor; Riesling is a lightweight wine with intense flavor. Intensity in both the wine and food should be equivalent, or else one will overpower the other. The cooking method also plays a role in flavor intensity; for instance, steaming versus roasting versus grilling.

Example: Tuna Nicoise Salad with Dry Rosé

Pair Acid with Acid

Try a tannic red with vinegar-sharp salad dressing for the ultimate food-and-wine clash. Sadly, this combo has led people to conclude they didn’t like a particular wine, when in fact, it was the pairing that created the problem. Sour, tart flavors in food can dull lower-acid wines. Beyond vinaigrettes, be mindful of other acidic ingredients like citrus, apples, and tomatoes.

Example: Oysters Dressed in Mignonette with Muscadet

Protein and Fat Favor Tannin

For non-vegetarians, magic happens when a bite of meaty, marbled steak and dense, tannic red wine meet in your mouth. The tannins soften when reacting with protein, while cutting the unctuousness of the fat. Leaner cuts with high protein content, like tri-tip, don’t need as powerful a wine.

Example: Argentinian Malbec and Grilled Flank Steak

What would you pair with savory bacon and sweet pancakes?Lauren Mowery

Try Sweet with Sweet

Dry wines turn tart and mouth-puckering when paired with food that harbors even a hint of sweetness. Sweet foods are best with wines of comparable sweetness, whether it be a honey-baked ham with sweet-potato mash or 9-layer chocolate cake.

To say spicy dishes with high-alcohol or dry, tannic reds spells culinary disaster, is a touch hyperbolic. But the marriage won’t be a happy one. Alcohol fuels the effect of spice, making hot dishes taste like they’ve been spiked with ghost peppers. Instead, lower-alcohol wines with a touch of sweetness keep heat in check.

Example: Off-Dry German Riesling and Spicy Grilled Shrimp Kebab

Oil and Salt Fight with Tannin

Oily fish tastes metallic with a sip of tannic red wine, while salty foods turn tannins bitter when taken together. On the other hand, acid cuts through oil (think of an oil and vinegar salad dressing), and salt benefits from the crisp zip of bright wines. Salty foods also work well with sweet wines: consider the perfection that is pretzels dipped in chocolate or salted caramel ice cream.

Example: Feta, Mint and Watermelon Salad with Brut Champagne

Nothing like Octopus and Albarino.Lauren Mowery

Local Wine, Local Food

Have you ever spent a languorous afternoon in Tuscany eating pappardelle slick with wild boar ragu, washed down with Chianti? Or noticed the French eating seasonal food with wine they literally made in their backyard? The old world wine regions are the source of the adage “what grows together, goes together” for good reason: locals have spent centuries perfecting their cuisine. So, follow their lead.

Example: Spanish Albariño with Galician Octopus in Olive Oil

When she's not in a vineyard or the ocean, Lauren Mowery covers drinks, food & adventure/luxury travel. Follow her around the world onInstagramandTwitter.

As contributing Travel Editor Wine Enthusiast, I view the world through the lens of drink.